When you board a cruise, it's important to have everything you need including medicine and any other items for your health and safety.
That's because a cruise ship isn't a hotel. You can't walk outside and jump into a taxi to buy whatever you might have forgotten.
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Cruise ships usually have some basic items available for sale. If you forget your toothbrush or need some shaving cream, you can probably find it in one of the ship's stores.
Even then, selection will be very limited, and you may not be able to find your brand of choice.
When it comes to medicine and other health-related supplies, cruise ships generally can't help. If you leave your prescription at home, the on-board doctor will be very limited in how they can help.
Ships may seem like floating cities, but they're much closer to floating hotels. They simply won't have everything you need, and until recently that included one item that Carnival Cruise Line passengers had long asked the cruise line to make available.
Image source: Daniel Kline/ComeCruiseWith.com
Carnival did not offer a needed item
Cruise ships process sea water for people to drink on the ship. They also sell bottled water, sometimes multiple kinds, but that does not meet the needs of people who need distilled water for medical reasons.
Distilled water has a number of medical uses, according to Svalbardi Polar Iceberg Water.
The high purity level of distilled water makes it ideal for sterilizing medical instruments, as it does not leave residue or deposits. It is used by surgeons to sterilize and prevent infections and cross-contamination, and by emergency personnel to clean wounds. Dentists use distilled water to rinse the mouth and wash away bacteria. Distilled water is also preferred in Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machines, as it prevents bacteria from breeding.
It's the last part of that, the CPAP machines, that comes up a lot on cruises. Carnival did not sell distilled water and does not allow passengers to bring a heating element (like a hot plate) that would allow them to create their own.
CPAP machines with built-in humidifiers need distilled water and should also be cleaned with distilled water.
"Distilled water is the best choice for CPAP humidifiers because it’s pure water that is free of minerals and bacteria," wrote SleepFoundation,org. "Hospitals, labs, and factories often use distilled water instead of tap water because it prevents limescale buildup on devices.
"Using the wrong type of water in your CPAP humidifier can cause mineral buildup, scaling, or bacterial growth. It may also irritate your airways or cause your machine or its components to break down."
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Carnival adds distilled water
While Carnival allowed passengers with a medical need to bring distilled water on board, that was not always practical. People who were flying in could not bring a supply on the plane, and lugging it on the ship was an added burden.
On Aug. 30 Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald wrote on his Facebook page that the cruise line had listened.
"Finally, now available for pre-order. Thank you to The beards for listening to me on your behalf," he shared, along with a link to a gallon of distilled water for use with CPAP machines for $5.90.
Carnival passengers appreciated the addition.
"Yes! Those of us who depend on distilled water for our machines thank you. I feel seen," Melissa Grove wrote.
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"This is fantastic! My friend needed it for her CPAP and Carnival didn’t have it for her so she had to use regular until we got to the first port & could get it. She was worried about damage to her new machine. Now the next time I cruise with her, she’ll be all set! Thank you John Heald for spearheading this valuable service," Shelly Kessler Brandell posted.
Not every passenger, however, is happy with distilled water being sold.
"This is no 'victory.' They gave us free water for YEARS. All you had to do was ask. Now they are charging you. Fantastic," Ty Thompson wrote.
Many years ago Carnival gave cruisers free distilled water. In recent years, it was available only by special request for an added fee when arranged before a cruise. The new offer makes it available for purchase in the online store before you cruise.
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